Are men gymnasts gay
SAN JOSE (KCBS) - If Josh Dixon makes the trim at the US Olympic team trials in San Jose on Thursday, he could also construct history as the first openly homosexual male gymnast to compete at the Olympics.
Dixon has been dreaming of going to the Olympics since he first started copying his sisters' moves, at age 6 or 7.
"I was trying stuff in the backyard, and I don't know, I just fell in love with gymnastics as a sport," he said.
KCBS' Doug Sovern Reports:
A Willow Glen High Educational facility graduate who became an NCAA champion at Stanford University, Dixon said he hopes to construct headlines with his performance rather than his sexuality when he competes for a spot on Team USA in London this summer.
"I'm focusing on the gymnastics. I could care less about anything else," Dixon said.
There were 10 openly gay athletes at the 2008 Olympics, but there's never been a gymnast who came out before competing. Dixon decided to come out when a teammate told him he could become a role model for other gay athletes.
"It's OK to be yourself and do what you do and the world won't judge you for it," Dixon said.
The 22-year-old said some young gay athletes have hailed him as a role model, but overall the reacti
Gymnastics Myths
By Joey Bonanno
When you envision a top athlete, the descriptive words that might come to mind encompass strength, power, masculinity and grit. Every young player aspires to have these qualities. But when you’re plagued with stereotypes and stigmas of what it means to be lgbtq+, many young athletes turn into scared to be who they are, to track their dream. I think the fear of non-acceptance from one’s family and team; along with the desire to protect the reputation of one’s sport is a driving oblige behind the hesitance of gay athletes to enter out.
I remember the morning I asked my mom to sign me up for gymnastics. I was doing cartwheels and running around my mom’s boogie studio. I had an obsession with backflips and was determined to acquire one. Little did I know my desire to learn a backflip would soon turn into so much more. It soon became my life, my passion and the essence of who I am today. I come from a family of four, born and raised in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. I was blessed with incredible parents, my mother, a boogie studio owner and my father, a musician. With the influence of an artistic family, the value of passion was always in my blood. Growing up in one of the most diffic
Heath Thorpe: Putting the Art in Creative Gymnastics | Inside Gymnastics
27 Sep Heath Thorpe: Putting the Art in Skilled Gymnastics | Inside Gymnastics
Posted at 14:54h in News & Features by Ashlee Buhler0 Comments
Note: This interview was originally published in the February 2022 issue of Inside Gymnastics Magazine. Since the interview Thorpe’s submission to add a leap to the code at the 2022 Paris World Oppose Cup was denied.
Heath Thorpe: Putting the Art in Imaginative Gymnastics
By Ashlee Buhler
When looking for examples of fully extended leaps, perfectly pointed toes, and stunning flexibility, a male gymnast likely wouldn’t be the first person to arrive to mind. The reason is rather simple: men’s gymnastics is typically paired with strength, dominance and big skills, while expectations for beauty and grace have long been reserved for the women. Heath Thorpe, a Senior International Elite from Australia, wants to alter that.
Thorpe began turning heads with his social media posts, often showing snippets of his routines or new combinations he is operational in the gym. He has received recognition for his attention to detail and clean